Game Developer in the World of Anime

The scope of a game at the level of Persona 5(P5) is not something their current studio could easily handle.

It's not that it's impossible to complete, but they'd need at least two more programmers and an additional one or two artists before Ichin would feel confident enough to attempt such a project.

"Alright," Ichin said, closing his laptop and addressing everyone. "Today's supposed to be our day off, and we've already spent a good chunk of time talking about work. Let's take it easy now. We've got gaming consoles here—feel free to play whatever you like."

"Exactly! Exactly!" exclaimed Shinoda Hajime, leaping up with excitement. "As much as I enjoy talking about the games we're going to develop in the future, let's play some games now! I saw that we've got Just Dance here. Let's play! I'm really good at it, you know!"

Ichin wholeheartedly agreed with the suggestion.

"Sure, let's all play together. After all, you guys spend most of your workdays sitting all day long—it's good to get some exercise. Tell you what, I'll buy a couple of treadmills for the office later. You can use them during breaks to stay fit."

"WHAT?!"

The group of girls collectively groaned in protest—except for Umiko and Shinoda Hajime, who remained relatively calm. Both of them had regular exercise routines.

Shinoda Hajime, for instance, rode her bike to work every day. Her toned legs, visible in her casual hotpants, clearly showed her athleticism—far from being stick-thin.

As for Umiko, she didn't even need an explanation. Being a die-hard fan of survival shooting games, she frequently participated in related events and activities. Her fitness was likely even better than Ichin's, despite him being a guy.

Umiko's level of physical fitness was truly exemplary for a programmer. She probably wouldn't have to worry about common developer problems like premature hair loss.

Looking at Umiko, Ichin smiled and said, "Umiko, let's make this interesting. If anyone scores lower than you in Just Dance, they'll have to help you with cleaning duties afterward."

"Oh? That sounds fun!"

Umiko had never played Just Dance before, but hearing Ichin's suggestion, her interest was piqued. She even pulled out the toy gun from her waist for dramatic effect and said to everyone, "Bring it on!"

Since he had so many employees, Ichin had wisely purchased multiple sets of Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. Everyone had a controller in hand, ready to play.

Watching Shinoda Hajime excitedly boot up the Switch and start Just Dance, Ichin suddenly remembered something. In the Chinese version of the game released by Ubisoft, they had humorously included a track called "Youth Calling," which was essentially a radio calisthenics routine.

It would have been hilarious if they had the Chinese version, but alas, they were using the international edition. Ichin made a mental note to buy the localized version later—it would definitely add to the fun.

As for himself, there was no way Ichin was joining the game. Once Shinoda Hajime, Umiko, Aoba Suzukaze, and Sakura Nene started their first round, Ichin quietly took his laptop and moved to the adjacent workspace.

Last night, the video's dubbing work had been completed, but Ichin hadn't uploaded it yet. Now that he had some free time, he decided to prep the video. Later, he'd ask Aoba Suzukaze to finalize the audio adjustments, and then they could upload it.

Right, Ichin had even brought the microphone from his room.

After all, dubbing isn't really work, is it?

Ichin felt confident that when he brought this up later, no one would oppose the idea!

After transferring the undubbed video to his computer and preparing a printed copy of the script, he returned to the group.

By this time, Umiko and the others had finished their first round. As expected, Aoba Suzukaze, who lacked stamina, ended up in last place and had earned the "privilege" of helping Umiko clean up later.

Taking a seat on the couch, Ichin looked at Aoba, who was sipping fruit juice, and teased, "It was just one song. How are you this tired already?"

Putting down her juice, Aoba glared at him. "Ichin-kun, you're totally enjoying this, aren't you?"

"No, no, how could you say that?" Ichin chuckled and shook his head. "I'm just saying you really need to exercise more. Sitting in front of a computer all day puts a heavy strain on your spine and neck. Before starting school, I'd sit for long hours too, but I made sure to keep up with exercise. That's why I'm fine."

As he spoke, Ichin rubbed his chin, pondering something.

"Hmm, now that I think about it, we should also arrange regular health check-ups for you all. Not just the usual ones, but specifically for your neck and back."

Hearing this, Aoba's lips twitched, and she muttered softly, "Is that really necessary?"

"Ichin's not wrong."

Umiko chimed in, handing Aoba a few tissues. Her expression turned serious. "Aoba, you've only been in this industry for a year, so you don't know much yet. Our work is a lot like other office jobs—long hours in the same position can easily lead to health problems. The neck and back are the most common trouble spots, and we also need to protect our wrists."

As she spoke, Umiko reached out and kneaded Aoba's shoulder. After a moment, she nodded. "Yep, your shoulders are already a bit stiff. It seems you don't know how to take care of yourself. If you're free next week, I'll take you to a therapy clinic I frequent. The doctor there studied in China, and their massage techniques are very professional. It's great for relieving fatigue. Don't worry—the doctor's a woman, so no one's going to take advantage of you."

"Huh? What?!"

Aoba was stunned. How did the conversation suddenly lead to a massage session at a therapy clinic?

Ichin, however, seemed intrigued. "Umiko, count me in. My body feels fine now, but I'd still like to have a professional check it out."

"See? Someone gets it," Umiko said with a smile. "Alright, let's all go together."

Then she turned her gaze to Hazuki, a playful smile on her face.

"Hazuki, want to join us? You've got the worst posture among all of us, aside from Yagami."

"Uh… Ah, about that…"

Hazuki, who had already been planning to make a quiet exit, froze when Umiko called her out. Swallowing hard, she stammered, "I think I'll pass. That place really isn't for me."

She had been there once before. While her body felt relaxed and much better afterward, the process had been far too painful for her liking.

Seeing Hazuki decline, Umiko didn't press further. Instead, she smirked slightly and glanced at Ichin.

After all, things were different now—Hazuki was no longer their superior, and with the boss sitting right there, her excuses wouldn't hold much weight.

...

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